An (Un)Civil War: The Evangelical Divide | CBS Reports 

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Never trust a pastor who tells you how to vote. Never trust a politician who tells you how to pray.

*_"Forcing his chapel to move from a chapel, to a circus tent"_* How appropriate

This is a prime example of why separation of church and state is so important!

The fact that Greg Locke is hugely popular in this country and that millions take him seriously - is a very sad reflection on America.

If you are preaching politics from the pulpit your church should not be tax exempt!

"Christianity started out in Palestine as a fellowship; it moved to Greece and became a philosophy; it moved to Italy and became an institution; it moved to Europe and became a culture; it came to America and became an enterprise." ~Sam Pascoe

Myself as a fellow Christian I'm watching this video and I'm shaking my head like how can people believe these guys it's sad.

No matter where you stand on the issues, you have to give Adam Yamaguchi credit for honest and respectful journalism.

"From a chapel to a circus tent" Poetic Justice

He's willing to be "crazy" because it's lucrative!

The irony of the circus tent is Simpsons level comedy.

Watching Locke’s “sermons” all I can think of now is: 🎶 “Look in my eyes, what do you see? The cult of personality…”

"GOD IS ON OUR SIDE" SAID JIM JONES.

3:27 "....From a chapel to a circus tent." That metaphor is too perfect.

I feel like it's unfathomable idea to these people that some people do not believe in their "god". I'm Buddhist and the amount of times I've people quote bible verses at me like that's supposed to mean something to me is astounding.

I swear the US is a reality show for the rest of the world to enjoy . There is a reason why most European countries has voted laws to separate religion and politics .

If they preach politics, they need to pay taxes.

"God is on OUR side!" At that point you know you are dealing with lunatics.

Thomas Paine, an influential founding father, on religion: “I do not believe in the creed professed by the Jewish church, by the Roman church, by the Greek church, by the Turkish church, by the Protestant church, nor by any church that I know of. My own mind is my own church.All national institutions of churches, whether Jewish, Christian, or Turkish, appear to me no other than human inventions set up to terrify and enslave mankind, and monopolize power and profit.” “Of all the systems of religion that ever were invented, there is no more derogatory to the Almighty, more unedifying to man, more repugnant to reason, and more contradictory to itself than this thing called Christianity. Too absurd for belief, too impossible to convince, and too inconsistent for practice, it renders the heart torpid or produces only atheists or fanatics. As an engine of power, it serves the purpose of despotism, and as a means of wealth, the avarice of priests, but so far as respects the good of man in general it leads to nothing here or hereafter.”

evangelicals seem to have run with the “forgiven for your sins” and totally abandoned “love thy neighbor”

Religious groups that mesh their religious beliefs with politics should pay taxes. Full stop! That includes evangelical Christian pastors & Catholic churches, & every other religious groups that the public supports.

I've actually read and heard that their were people in this Christian nationalist movement asking God in prayer for permission to hurt people that didn't agree w their beliefs.. This really scared me. I wish we could all just get along.

All Pastor Locke's anger, excuse me, I mean "passion", has made him a mountain of money. Never forget these pastors, get incredibly rich peddling their message.

A circus tent for this freak show is extremely fitting!! 🤦‍♂️🤦‍♂️😂😂😭😭

If America was founded on Christianity, we sure missed the mark.

I'm almost ashamed to say I was raised a christian. If it wasn't for my mom showing the love of Christ I'd be an atheist.

Good God. I am a 71 yr old widower, father of three, grandfather of eight, 2 Vietnam tours USMC. I am now ashamed to identify as American.

I'm very impressed by the interviewer. He gave each speaker a chance to explain his point of view.

"Men never do evil so completely and cheerfully as when they do it from religious conviction." ~Blaise Pascal

Great and painfully accurate depiction of very dangerous metamorphosis of Evangelical Christianity in thy USA.

It's fascinating how Locke is two different people in an interview and on the stage. Decide for yourself what he's up to.

Greg locke should start paying taxes if he wants to preach politics.

Locke: “...They like what I say, I’m saying what they feel, I’m scratching their itch...” 22:21 of this video Apostle Paul: “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear.” 2 Timothy 4:3

From the UK....these people are insane....

Guys like Greg Locke are one of the reasons I have left Christianity and the church behind.

Thats why the founding father's of this country separated RELOGION & GOVERNMENT

I left that subculture in the late seventies, partly because of the growing influence of Jerry Falwell and his ilk and their conflation of religion and right wing politics. I now describe myself as a recovering evangelical, 43 years sober.

I made it to about the 4 minute mark before turning away in grief. Watching a pastor autograph the Bible standing in a circus tent answers all the questions about how we as a country in 2023 got to this point

Greg Locke was in foster care and I felt strongly that he might be from a background like that, you can see he feels frustrated and probably felt unloved and unwanted so when I heard him say he was in foster care, I thought, it all makes sense about his anger and his need to have attention. But I wish he would get help for that and stop causing division and hatred from his pulpit.

The rundown on Pasta Locke: he put his wife through so much emotional and mental abuse she ended up in an institution; he preaches against divorce and adultery but had an affair with his wife's best friend who was also a church member and church employee, he and his mistress divorced their spouses and married each other; he ranted against pandemic restrictions, refused to implement guidelines in his church and demanded members keep coming and maintain donations even if shutdowns had them broke; he protested against masks, said they were useless and oppressive and threatened to throw out anyone who turned up wearing one but posted himself wearing Trump or MAGA masks; he threatened to kick a Dunkin' Donuts employee in the teeth for asking him to wear a mask in the restaurant as per restaurant policy then boasted about it on social media; he pushed the "leftist ch*ld abuse/trafficking" conspiracy theories but hired a convicted ch*ld rap*st as Youth Leader in the church; he has submitted members to verbal abuse, insults and embarrassment; he has refused to allow examination of church finances and attacks members who question why the church is still in a tent long after members raised enough$ for a permanent building; he is known to be a past and allegedly current user and abuser of illegal and legal drugs and alcohol; he has been alleged by current and past members to have made unwanted and improper physical and verbal s*xual advances to both male and female members; he has been alleged by past and current members to have been seen frequenting the services of pr0stitutes including a crossdresser/trans. ln other words he's a run of the mill evangelical leader

I am a Finnish theology student. I watched this documentary because Roger Olson, a moderate American Evangelical theology professor, recommended this in his blog. Thank you for giving these valuable different perspectives in the film!

I like his very last statement, where he basically says 'yeah I may be absolutely crazy, but at least I believe it'

When you're born you get a ticket to the freak show. When you're born in America, you get a front row seat.

Man as someone who grew up as a southern baptist and is currently unaffiliated, things will never get better in this country while these bigoted lunatics are around. It’s like watching a movie knowing what’s about to happen to all of the characters and they all just walk right into the danger anyway.

As a Catholic, I can not imagine going to church and hearing this type of hatred spewing from the mouth of my priest ..it would be time to find a new church.

Thank you CBS for covering this story. I learned some things from your report.

The irony of it being held in a circus tent…..

And that’s why people are leaving the church

Having been raised roman catholic (and despite having left) I associate churches as places of tranquility and when I see these preachers and congregations yelling about politics at the top of their lungs, I can't help but think they would have gotten a smack up the head by a little old nun and been told to shut it at my old church. Well made documentary, though.

The scene at the end when he gets into that huge pickup truck just puts the icing on the cake

That man manages to say SO MANY WORDS but say nothing coherent, of value or substance. Truly an impressive skill.

When Greg Locke said he knows that he’s scratching the itch of those who come to see him, since they all agree, I thought of this scripture: “For the time will come when people will not put up with sound doctrine. Instead, to suit their own desires, they will gather around them a great number of teachers to say what their itching ears want to hear. They will turn their ears away from the truth and turn aside to myths.” ‭‭2 Timothy‬ ‭4:3-4‬ Seems about right. This Christian Nationalism movement is deeply concerning and does not at all represent Christ.

The same guy that says Im just scratching their itch, what they want to hear.. ends with I believe what I say.. and I'll fight till the death for it.. unreal..

"Freedom of religion, but only if it's our religion"

These people are so dangerous and scary! There is no peace in their beliefs!😲

Soooo since they can't keep politics and church separate then why not start taxing the church!

I was once involved with the Religious Evangelical movement. So glad I saw the light and got out. They are clueless about the LOVE that God is about. They're legalistic and judgemental.

I have tremendous respect to the Evangelical Christians standing up to this mad Christian nationalism 🙏🙏

Dr C. Edmonston hit the nail squarely on the head!!! I would go to their church!!!

“Mark my word, if and when these preachers get control of the [Republican] party, and they're sure trying to do so, it's going to be a terrible damn problem. Frankly, these people frighten me. Politics and governing demand compromise. But these Christians believe they are acting in the name of God, so they can't and won't compromise. I know, I've tried to deal with them.” ~Barry Goldwater

It's particularly abhorrent to watch people twist Christ into their own image until he becomes unrecognizable. It's an act of violence.

I was born and raised in iran , just look at iran before the religious revolution and now... its the best example why religion and politics should never be mixed no matter if its islam ,christianity or any other religion , its never going to end well and sadly i feel like the usa is slowly going down the same path.

16:40 The order he puts them in is not a mistake, and is truly telling.

The Preacher said that his congregation is one sided and that he telling what tickles theirs ears and preach what they want to hear instead telling the truth which they may not want hear. That is the definition of a false prophet. The false teachers don’t even quote the Bible. 🤦‍♀️

I grew up with these people. Twenty years of abuse, homelessness, starvation, and mental torture. Ten years of recovery, and I can finally almost breathe free in my own skin. I still can't watch a horror movie. I still face the front door in restaurants. I've seen pure evil in my life, and it came from the very people who offerered salvation. Your fealty and passivity, your politeness and manners buys you nothing. They will destroy your childhood innocence from within. This modern movement of fundamentalism is truly the forked tongue the Bible warned about.

"When Fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross"

Nothing sacrilegious about having a social media star autograph your Bible, right?

"When fascism comes to America, it will be wrapped in the flag and carrying a cross." - Sinclair Lewis -

"Religion is regarded by the common people as true, by the wise as false, and by the rulers as useful." ~Lucius Annaeus Seneca

This whole situation is a lot more nuanced than I initially thought, honestly, I wish people would take the time to listen to what these people are saying, understanding Isn’t the same as agreeing.

Proclaiming the gospel of America is the new thing in church.

Here in Australia, we can have six pubs and one church in a small town, America has six churches to one pub, Australians get the social interaction from pubs and Americans get it from churches, Australia we buy a beer and drink and talk to mates, America gives money to the church for a bigger jet that the one the preacher already has. American churches hate when you don't conform with them, Australia doesn't care which pub you go to as long as you have a good time.

Don't recall Paul giving out autographs!! Lord help us!! These fools WILL BE left behind!!!

sounds to me like some of these so called "pastors" needs to start paying taxes on their so called "churches"!

The fact that he insists that he "honestly" believes his nonsense and will fight for it, should concern everyone and get us to be ready to fight twice harder!

This guy was incredibly professional and straightforward with his interview…he should do more documentaries!

If churches want to get involved in politics, take away their tax exceptions. They'll more than likely shut up real quick.

I love this Angel from God our Lord Thou Out In Heaven Hallowed Be Thy Name

Circus tent is rather fitting

I am so glad that I read the Bible on my own. And that I don't attend any of these churches. And I am amazed at what I'm able to recognize in the world today since I've been reading my Bible and paying attention. It's really sad to see so much anger and division in our country, and to see so many people being misled spiritually and politically. 💔😢🙏

cowardly pastors......he's so not a coward that he thinks he can go before God and explain dumping his wife and family for the church secretary.

Ego run amuck the Presbyterian minister seemed like a good guy.

He is reading the room and telling people what they want to hear, even if it is untrue, hateful and dangerous. He is doing it for the same reason most people do evil deeds, he makes money! (probably lots of it) He will go wherever the money leads, just like all grifters do. It's the same in politics, money poisons everything, along with religion.

I think it was Mark Twain who said.....”don’t argue with the stupid. They will bring you down to their level and beat you with experience”.

The irony of Greg Locke preaching from a circus tent is not lost on me 🤡🤡🤡

I always find it ironic when religious people talk about how they're not "sheep", when apparently Jesus referred to himself as a shepherd.

Greg Locke is a WWE character. Full stop. The problem is he’s actually inciting real people to actual violence with his persona. A persona he seems to have the ability to turn off when not on stage, and is making him a lot of money. You will know them by the fruits of their labor indeed…

If one of these pastors offers me a cup of Kool-Aid, I'm pouring it out.

Circus tent. Perfect 👌

11:43-11:46 absolute truth!

Greg Locke doesn’t just look crazy, he IS crazy.

Amen Pastor Locke you speak Gods word

Interesting documentary 👌👍

“Make America Godly Again” proceeds to autograph a Bible.

Preach!!! You are steppin on some toes PRAISE THE LORD 🙌🏻🙌🏻🙌🏻

There are those who believe that they are on the path to greatness, but are blind to what lies before them.

Thank you God for saving me from the Evangelical CULT movement.

They are simply preaching HATE and no longer preaching LOVE. That's Sad

I absolutely respect pastor Locke he preachers truth 🙌 🙏